Igniters having the construction described above are convenient in that they can be employed to ignite gas cooking equipment by depressing the ignition operating member. There is demand for locking mechanisms for these igniters to prevent inadvertent and accidental ignition, and igniters having various types of locking mechanisms have been proposed.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,423 discloses an igniter having a one-piece lock member provided with an elastic plate spring portion at one end thereof, the middle portion of the lock member being pivotally supported by a main body of the igniter. In this igniter, the lock member is operated to move to an unlocked position by pressing the end opposite the plate spring into an igniter main body with, for example, a middle finger, where it does not interfere with the ignition operation of an operating member (operated by an index finger). Elastic deformation of the plate spring portion enables pivotal movement of the lock member to the unlocked position, and when the middle finger releases the lock member, the elastic return properties of the plate spring portion return the lock member to the locked position.
However, in conventional igniters such as that described above, it is necessary to employ a finger (such as the middle finger) other than the index finger, which operates the ignition operation member. Therefore, there is a problem from the viewpoint of operability. In addition, as a simple operation such as just pressing the lock member inward enables release of the lock member, there is a problem that even small children can perform the ignition operation by employing both hands. On the other hand, if the lock release operation of a lock member becomes too complex, there is a possibility that the ignition operation will become troublesome, thus rendering the igniter impractical. In addition, if the structure becomes complex, there are disadvantages from the viewpoint of cost.
Further, in the case that a lock member is provided that necessitates an on/off operation, it is likely that the locking operation of the lock member will be forgotten with the passage of time, which defeats the purpose of having provided the lock member.